Bedside drainage bag

ABSTRACT

A BEDSIDE DRAINAGE BAG FOR USE IN HOSPITALS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A BAG PORTION ADAPTED TO RESTAIN FLUID THEREIN HAVING AN INLET TUBE CONNECTED THERETO FOR CARRYING FLUID INTO THE BAG. A DRAINAGE ASSEMBLY MOUNTGED ON THE BAG FOR PERIODICALLY DRAINING THE CONTENTS THEREFROM, COMPRISED OF A DRAIN FITTING FASTENED TO A DEPENDING FLAP PORTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG. A DRAIN TUBE IS ATTACHED TO THE END OF THE DRAIN FITTING AND CAN BE PIVOTED FROM A DEPENDING DRAIN POSITION TO AN UPRIGHT STORAGE POSITION. A VALVE MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE TUBE CONTROLS FLOW THERETHROUGH, AND A DRAIN TUBE POCKET OF SPECIAL DESIGN IS PROVIDED ON THE FACE OF THE BAG INTO WHICH THE END OF THE DRAIN TUBE IS INSERTED TO THEREBY RETAIN THE DRAINAGE ASSEMBLY WHEN IN ITS STORAGE OR NON-USE POSITION.

Feb. 23, J. QK

BEDSIDE DRAINAGE BAG Filed Jan. 23. 1969 United States Patent 3,564,620BEDSIDE DRAINAGE BAG James L. Clark, Whitefish Bay, Wis., assignor toPlastronics, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin FiledJan. 23, 1969, Ser. No. 793,413 Int. Cl. A61g 9/00 U.S. Cl. 4-110 3Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bedside drainage bag for use inhospitals and the like, comprising a bag portion adapted to retain fluidtherein having an inlet tube connected thereto for carrying fluid intothe bag. A drainage assembly mounted on the bag for periodicallydraining the contents therefrom, comprised of a drain fitting fastenedto a depending flap portion at the bottom of the bag. A drain tube isattached to the end of the drain fitting and can be pivoted from adepending drain position to an upright storage position. A valve membermounted on the tube controls flow therethrough, and a drain tube pocketof special design is provided on the face of the bag into which the endof the drain tube is inserted to thereby retain the drainage assemblywhen in its storage or non-use position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (I) Field of invention This inventionrelates to bedside drainage bags and, more particularly, to a speciallydesigned drain tube assembly for periodically draining the contents ofthe drainage bag.

(II) Description of prior art In the conventional drainage bag, a draintube is pendantly mounted in the bottom portion thereof for purposes ofperiodically draining the bag. The tube remains in this position bothduring periods when fluid is draining into the bag during periods whenthe bag is being emptied. Such an arrangement produces an unsightlyappearance and creates a sanitary problem in that the drainage tube isexposed at all times.

The principal object of this invention, therefore, is to provide animproved drainage tube assembly wherein the drain tube can be easily andconveniently positioned in an upstanding position for storage duringperiods between the times the bag is drained.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION A bedside drainage bag having a bag portion adaptedto retain fluid therein and an inlet tube means connected to the bag forconducting fluid into the bag. A drainage assembly is mounted on the bagand adapted for periodically draining the contents therefrom. Suchassembly includes a drain tube member connected to the bottom portion ofthe bag and in communication with the inside thereof. The tube isfurther adapted for movement between a depending drain position and anupstanding storage position. A specially designed drain tube pocket isprovided on the face of the drainage bag for receiving and retaining theend of the drain tube member when such member is in its upright storageposition. A further refinement of the drainage assembly includes adepending flap portion on the bag to which the drain tube is connected.Such flap portion is adapted to facilitate pivotal movement of the draintube assembly between its drain and storage position.

3,564,620 Patented Feb. 23, 1971 "ice DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGSDESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail, FIG. 1 shows a bedside drainage bag 10 preferably made from twosheets of polyvinyl chloride plastic 12, 14 which are sealed to eachother around the peripheral edges thereof as at 16 preferably by anelectronic welding procedure to provide a sealed container.

The drainage bag is provided with an inlet fitting 18 having a tube 20connected thereto for conducting the flow of fluid into the bag. Fitting18 and tube 20 are also preferably made from polyvinyl chloridematerial.

The bag 10 is also provided with a drainage assembly 22 designed forperiodically draining the bag of its contents.

As clearly shown in FIG. 2, drain assembly 22 is comprised of an outletfitting 24 welded or otherwise secured to a depending flap portion 26 ofthe bag. A drainage tube member 28 is connected to outlet fitting 24 andis provided with a shut-off valve 30 of any suitable design. Valve 30 isin the form of a clip having a spring arm 31 held in closed position byan abutment 33 as shown in FIG. 2. The valve is opened by simplyreleasing the end of arms 31 from abutment as shown in dotted lines inFIG. 1.

As most clearly shown in FIG. 2, fitting 24 is comprised of a nippleportion 32 having a flange portion 34 formed at one end thereof forpurposes of attachment to the front face of flap portion 26. Suchattachment is preferably made by electronic welding. The front face offlap portion 26 is provided with an opening 36 through which thecontents of the bag are drained. The nipple portion 32 of fitting 24 isprovided with a tip portion 38 of reduced outside diameter. Tube 28 isconnected to fitting 24 by simply inserting the end of the tube over thetip portion 38 of the fitting as shown in FIG. 2. The tube and fittingare dimensioned to provide a snug friction fit to thereby retain thetube securely on the fitting. The outside diameter of tube 28 and theexposed portion of nipple 32 are the same to thus provide a smooth,substantially continuous surface at the joint.

Flap portion 26 of bag 10 to which outlet fitting 24 is connected isadapted to pivot between a drainage position shown in dotted lines inFIG. 1 and a storage position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. Theportion of the bag indicated by dotted line 40 serves as a kind of ahinge to permit such pivotal action.

To retain the assembly 22 in storage position, a specially designedstorage pocket 42 is provided on the front face 12 of the bag. Thepocket is fabricated by attaching a properly shaped strip 44 of plasticmaterial to the face 12 of the bag, preferably by electrolic welding.The strip, before its attachment, is in the form of a flat member asshown in FIG. 4. The strip 44 is rounded at one end 45 and has a cut-outportion 47 at its other end. Also of significance is that the strip isslightly tapered from its rounded end 45 to its cut-out end 47 with saidcut-out end having the maximum width. Before its attachment, the edgesof strip 44 are flexed inwardly towards each other causing the body ofthe member to be bowed upwardly when the strip is in assembled positionas shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The Weld area which is indicated byreference numeral 46 extends only partially around the periphery of thestrip to provide an opening in one end thereof into which the end oftube 28 can be inserted for storage. Because of the taper referred toabove, the open end of the pocket formed by the strip is of a largercrosssectional area that at any other point to the rear of such opening.Thus, the pocket 42 formed by the strip provides a relatively largeopening for easy insertion of tube 28 with the pocket having a graduallydecreasing crosssectional area dimensioned to securely retain the tubetherein.

The preferred material for fitting 24 and strip 44 is polyvinyl chloride(to facilitate welding to the bag). The preferred material for tube 28is pure latex and the preferred material for shut-off valve 30 is springsteel. As shown in FIG. 1 the bag is provided with a supporting cord 48for hanging the entire unit on the side of a hospital bed.

To use the bedside drainage bag described above, fluid is allowed toflow into the bag 10 through tube and inlet fitting 18 until the bagbecomes at least partially full. During this period, valve is in itsclosed position and the drainage tube assembly 22 is in its storage ornon-use position as shown in FIG. 2.

When it becomes necessary to drain the bag, tube 28 is removed from thepocket 42 and the entire assembly 22 is then pivoted downwardly to thedotted line position shown in FIG. 1. Valve 30 is then opened, allowingthe contents of the bag to be drained therefrom. by gravity. Valve 30 isthen returned to its off position, the assembly 22 is pivoted back toits storage position and the end of tube 28 is inserted back into pocket42. The drainage bag is now ready for further use.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be apparentto those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bedside drainage bag comprising:

a bag portion adapted to retain fluid therein;

an inlet tube connected to said bag and adapted to carry fluid into saidbag; and

a drainage assembly mounted on said bag adapted for periodicallydraining the contents therefrom, said assembly including a drain tubemember connected to the bottom portion of the bag and in communicationwith the inside thereof, said tube being connected to said bag by hingemeans which is comprised of a depending flap portion of said bag withsaid drain tube being connected to one side surface of said flapportion, said hinge means permitting movement of said drainage tubebetween a depending drain position in which said flap portion ispositioned generally in the plane of said bag and an upstanding storageposition in which said flap portion is folded and transverse to theplane of said bag, said assembly further including a retaining meansmounted on the bag for holding said drain tube member in its storageposition, said retaining means comprising a pocket mounted on the frontface of said bag and having an opening in one end thereof for insertionof said tube, said pocket having a decreasing crosssectional area fromthe open end thereof to the closed end thereof.

2. A bedside drainage bag according to claim 1 in which said pocket iscomprised of a strip of plastic material adhered to the bag forreceiving and retaining the end of said drain tube member when saidmember is in storage position, said strip being rounded at one end andhaving a cut-out portion at the other end, said strip being furthercharacterized by being slightly tapered endto-end with the cut-out endhaving the maximum width.

3. A bedside drainage bag according to claim 2 in which said drainageassembly further includes a valve member mounted on said drain tubeadapted to control flow of fluid therethrough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,312,221 4/1967 Overment 128-2953,374,939 3/1968 McMenimen 128295 3,415,299 12/1968 Hinman, Jr., et a1.4-110X 3,473,532 10/1969 Eisenberg 128-295X WILLIAM F. ODEA, PrimaryExaminer H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 128-295

